Selecting “Current” Solves My Main Problems With RSS Readers.
While RSS readers are still useful , they’re far from perfect. Most have a sidebar showing article sources and the number of unread articles in each, making it feel like you have to read everything on the list. If you’re like me, you might have hundreds of unread articles at once. Perhaps you read countless news articles in hopes of reducing that number, or send long essays to Instapaper only to (forget) to read them later. I’m certainly exaggerating how serious this problem is, but I think anyone who regularly uses RSS has encountered something similar. That’s what intrigues me about Current , a new RSS reader for iPhone, iPad, and Mac that solves these problems better than any other RSS reader I’ve seen.
How is Current different from other RSS readers?
The Current app is designed without the traditional RSS reader features. Instead, it offers you a selection of articles to read, gradually filtering out older content to ensure you always have a sensible selection. I’ve been using Current for a few days now, and I think it truly solves this—and other—problems many RSS reader users face. I can already see how it will change my reading experience.
The first significant change: the removal of the unread article counter. When you open the app, you’re presented with a set of headlines, which Current calls the “River.” Tap or click any headline to start reading. Current supports reading all articles directly in the app, even if the RSS feed doesn’t contain the full text. Then, when you’re finished reading, you actively “release” the article so it disappears from your list. You can also save the article for later, if desired.
Another important feature is that articles disappear on their own over time, and you can control how quickly they disappear. Set a specific feed to “Urgent,” and new posts will only remain there for three hours. Set a feed to “Evergreen,” and they will remain there for seven days. This range allows you to fine-tune the length of time articles are displayed.
This is crucial. It ensures that articles that are likely to be interesting to read in a couple of days remain online, while articles intended for a specific moment disappear.
How I use Current
I write about software, which means I often test an app, write about it, and then move on to the next one. I think Current will be here for a long time because it solves a very important problem for me: my RSS reader was too overloaded with information. Current is a less stressful way to stay informed without the distraction of long texts, which I also want to read.
However, I’m not about to stop using my beloved NetNewsWire RSS feed. I find a traditional RSS reader very useful for keeping up with tech news, and it fits my workflow well. Current is the best tool for reading outside of work. I’ve added a mix of news sources and long essays to my feed. I open it when I want to spend a few minutes reading. There’s always something interesting, and I never feel overwhelmed. More importantly, River eventually runs out of articles, so I have a natural moment to switch to something else.
It’s understandable if you’ve tried RSS feed apps but haven’t found them. However, Current isn’t that kind of app, and you might like it. You can purchase Current for $9.99, which will give you access to the app on all Apple platforms.